Find out how popular the last name Polit is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Polit.

Polit, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Polit surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Polit in America

Polit is the 53802nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Polit surname appeared 384 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Polit.

We can also compare 2010 data for Polit to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Polit

The surname POLIT has its origins in the Slavic regions of Eastern Europe, specifically in Poland and parts of Ukraine. It can be traced back to the 14th century and is believed to be derived from the Slavic word "polyt," meaning "to flow" or "to spill." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who lived near a river or stream.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the POLIT surname can be found in a document from the city of Krakow, Poland, dated to 1387. The document mentions a certain Jan POLIT, who was a merchant and landowner in the region. In the 15th century, there are records of a family with the surname POLIT living in the town of Przemyśl, located in present-day southeastern Poland.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the POLIT surname gained prominence in various parts of Poland and Ukraine. Notable individuals from this period include Andrzej POLIT (1540-1612), a Polish nobleman and military commander who fought in the wars against the Ottoman Empire, and Iwan POLIT (1610-1678), a Ukrainian Cossack leader who played a role in the Khmelnytsky Uprising against Polish rule.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, the POLIT surname spread to other parts of Eastern Europe, including Belarus and Russia. One prominent figure was Aleksander POLIT (1784-1856), a Polish-born mathematician and professor at the University of Kharkiv in modern-day Ukraine. Another notable individual was Yevhen POLIT (1820-1892), a Ukrainian writer and poet who was part of the cultural revival movement in the region.

As the POLIT surname traveled across Eastern Europe, variations in spelling emerged, such as POLYT, POLETT, and PALYT. These variations were often influenced by local dialects and language differences. Additionally, some families with the POLIT surname adopted noble titles or place names as part of their surname, further diversifying its form.

Throughout its history, the POLIT surname has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, writers, military leaders, and landowners. While not as widespread as some other Slavic surnames, it has left a lasting mark on the cultural and historical landscapes of Eastern Europe.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Polit

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Polit.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Polit was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Polit has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Polit was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Polit, please contact us.

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